The Future of Family Policy Possibilities for Public Discussion Edited by Jeff Prudhomme and Jack Byrd 2013
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The Future of Family
Table of Contents Introduction: The Future of the Family as a Public Matter .................................. 4
I. What’s in a Family? ................................................................................ 5 Policy possibilities that focus on what goes into making a family a family. A. Charter Whatever Family You Want ........................................................... 6 B. Reinforce the Traditional Nuclear Family ....................................................10 C. The Bigger the Better: Support Extended Families .......................................14 D. Families are Safe Harbors ..........................................................................18
II. Family and Democracy ................................................. 23 Policy possibilities that focus on the impact families can have on a democratic society. E. The Family as a School for Democracy ........................................................24 F. Break up Aristocracies for a More Democratic Society ................................ 28
III. Who’s on First? Relating the Family and the State
............ 32
Policy possibilities that focus on the relationship between the family and the state. G. The Family is Number One ........................................................................34 H. Manage the Family for the Greater Good ................................................ 38 I. Focus on the Basic Principles for Each Family Situation ................................ 42
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Introduction: The Future of the Family as a Public Matter What makes a family a family? Who should get to decide the answer to this question? What does family mean to us as a society? When does the notion of family become a matter of public concern? What might the future hold in store? These are the kinds of questions at the root of the following exploration of the future of the family. Our idea of family continues to shift with changes in cultural norms and in de- mographics. In a culturally diverse society, what roles should cultural heritage play in policy decisions about the family? Different cultures have different ideas about how families are formed, how big they should be, and the roles people have within them. Speaking of different family roles, what about our changing ideas about gender roles and of human sexuality? How might public policy for the family take these into account? Other social changes will impact our family policies. If we face an increasingly aging or mobile population, what concerns might arise for families? What about the economic concerns facing families? How might public policy respond to each and all of these concerns? What are the values or moral considerations that might shape these policies? What are the rights and responsibilities in regard to the family that public policy should take into account? How should we approach the relationship between political power and the family? What are other moral, legal, or political concerns that our family policies might need to address? A group of 12 of your fellow citizens worked together to think through questions such as these as they explored the future of the family. This discussion project was unique in that it involved the participation of Interactivity Foundation fellows and staff as a way to provide them with direct experience as participants in our discussion process. Still, as with all of our reports, the ideas presented for discus- sion do not represent the opinions or policy recommendations of the partici- pants or of the Interactivity Foundation itself. The goal of the participants was to think broadly about various concerns about the family as a public matter. Par- ticipants went on to generate contrasting ways that our society could address these concerns. These contrasting approaches are captured here as nine con- ceptual policy possibilities. ,Q ZKDW IROORZV \RX¡OO ÀQG D EULHI GHVFULSWLRQ RI WKH SROLF\ DSSURDFKHV RXU VRFLHW\ might take as it seeks to address policy questions and concerns regarding the family unit. What the panelists have to offer are ideas that could be useful for you to discuss as you consider the future of the family in a democratic society such as our own. 4
The Future of Family
A& O`Yl k af Y >Yeadq7 O`Yl eYc]k Y ^Yeadq7 O`g _]lk lg \][a\]7 O`Yl jgd]k ea_`l ^Yeadq hdYq af gmj kg[a]lq7
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Possibility
A
Charter Whatever Family You Want
The Basic Idea People are increasingly choosing to live together in different ways. Why VKRXOGQ·W RXU IDPLOLHV UHÁHFW WKHVH different kinds of groupings? This policy approach responds by say- ing that people ought to be able to create their own kind of family—with the same legal and social status that traditional families receive. It em- powers people to charter whatever family structure they would like by offering legal and social supports. Rights that are currently provided to “traditional” families would be provided to these new family units. These rights include those that are extended through governmental provisions, as well as those provided by employers and social services. This policy grows out of the recogni- tion that in a time of great social and 6
cultural diversity and increasing per- sonal liberty, individuals should have greater freedom to choose their own model of family. We live in a time when people live together in all sorts RI FRQÀJXUDWLRQV WKDW PLJKW EH LQGH- pendent of romantic connections or blood relations. They might entail any mix of gender or sexuality. The important thing is that these family FRQÀJXUDWLRQV SURYLGH VWDEOH VWUXF- WXUHV WKDW EHQHÀW WKH OLYHV RI WKH LQGL- viduals in them and, as an extension, the overall stability of our society. Rather than forcing one model of family structure on to society, this policy recognizes the benefits of diverse family structures and gives in- dividuals the freedom to create their own. This policy further recognizes that this freedom is real only if a broad and diverse notion of what constitutes a family is formally recognized by the state.
The Future of Family
This possibility envisions a process by which individuals can join family units once they reach the age of maturity. Such family formation would expand beyond traditional notions of romantic or sexual unions. It could entail recog- nition of a household as a stable and abiding unit. Imagine a pair of sisters or housemates who have always lived to- gether and would like the legal protec- tions and rights that come from being recognized as a family. In other words, family formation need not entail “mar- riage.” It could simply be a matter of people committing to live together in a long-term relationship. The process for gaining family recognition might entail making a charter proposal to the state, similar to the process of ob- taining a marriage license.
Notes
The policy might set certain basic parameters for chartering a family, but the overall thrust of it is to enable people to form whatever unions they desire. State recognition would mean that “charter families” would have the OHJDO ULJKWV DQG EHQHÀWV VXFK DV IDYRU- able tax treatment) given to “tradition- al families.” This would include legal protection of family properties and other assets. Individuals in such families would have rights and responsibilities in the group, and the group would like- wise have rights and responsibilities in regard to the individual. These charter IDPLOLHV ZRXOG QRW EH FDVXDO DIÀOLD- tions, but legally recognized families, so the dissolution of charter family bonds would have to take place through legally recognized processes.
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Possibility
A
Charter Whatever Family You Want
How It Might Work 1.
The policy would have to set up a deliberative process for determining the broad parameters of what kinds of family charters would be accept-Â able. This might include reaching some broad consensus about how to deal with age of maturity concerns (when is an individual old enough to charter a family?) and issues surrounding national citizenship (could indi-Â viduals charter families include non-Âcitizens?).
2.
The policy would require some broad public deliberation about the kinds RI EHQHĂ€WV DQG ULJKWV WKDW DFFUXH WR IDPLOLHV ERWK LQ JRYHUQPHQWDO DQG non-Âgovernmental contexts.
3.
The policy would require greater interaction of governmental and non-Âgovernmental entities in order to accommodate the new kinds of IDPLO\ VWUXFWXUHV WKDW ZRXOG HPHUJH )RU H[DPSOH HPSOR\HUV DQG JRY-Â ernment agencies alike would have to adapt to greater complexity when LW FRPHV WR DOORFDWLQJ ULJKWV DQG EHQHĂ€WV WR IDPLO\ PHPEHUV VXFK DV IDPLO\ OHDYH SROLFLHV RU VXUYLYRU EHQHĂ€WV
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Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural impacts could you imagine this policy ap-足 proach might have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
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Possibility
B Reinforce the Traditional Nuclear Family
The Basic Idea What if the traditional nuclear family, consisting of a married heterosexual couple and their dependent children, is the ideal social unit for our society? This policy responds by strengthening our nuclear families. It treats nuclear families, with a married heterosexual couple at the core, as the preferred basic social unit of our society. The policy would support nuclear hetero- sexual families by offering incentives RU EHQHÀWV WR HQFRXUDJH WKH IRUPD- tion of families and to help them thrive. This policy would include disincentives or outright prohibitions of other forms of families. 7KLV SROLF\ SRVVLELOLW\ ÁRZV IURP D EHOLHI that the health and well-being of the nuclear family as a nation’s basic social unit is vital to the well-being of society as a whole. It is also motivated by concerns about the many forces 10
that threaten the well-being of our nuclear families. To help keep such families together, the policy would create disincentives for the dissolution of nuclear families, including making GLYRUFH YHU\ GLIÀFXOW RU LPSRVVLEOH WR attain. This policy would not recognize the legal status of other kinds of families. It would give the nation’s nuclear families special status, with rights and privileges, as our nation’s preferred basic social units. Marriage would be restricted to the union of a man and a woman. The policy could be im- plemented in more or less restrictive ways. It could be implemented in a way that creates special incentives for nuclear families based on married heterosexual couples—or it could erect barriers to discourage other types of families. An example of this
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more restrictive approach would be limiting adoption rights only to legally married heterosexual couples. It might even restrict access to assisted reproductive technologies to married heterosexual couples, since such a family would be the ideal setting for children. The policy would both encourage the formation of traditional nuclear fami- lies and work to sustain and preserve them. Government would prioritize them in the formation of govern- mental policy. For example, a “family impact statement” could be required for all legislative proposals and federal rule making. These impact statements could be used to ensure that legisla- tion and subsequent rule making does not have negative consequences for traditional nuclear families.
Notes
The policy might extend the protec- tion of nuclear families into the eco- nomic domain as well. It might make the preservation of family assets into a national priority. It could, for example, lessen or eliminate estate taxes. Family-owned property might enjoy preferential treatment such as protection from eminent domain laws. For traditional nuclear families that are struggling to get a foothold economically, the policy might go so far as to offer a standard base level of support, recognizing that economic distress can be destructive for fami- lies. This support might include health care, nutritional support, expand- ed educational access, adequate housing, and other like support. Interactivity Foundation
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Possibility
B Reinforce the Traditional Nuclear Family
How It Might Work 1.
The policy might establish tax incentives to encourage the formation of nuclear families and to help sustain them.
2.
7KH SROLF\ PLJKW FUHDWH GLVLQFHQWLYHV IRU GLYRUFH ZKHWKHU E\ SURKLELWLQJ LW RXWULJKW PDNLQJ LW PRUH GLIĂ€FXOW WR DFTXLUH RU E\ VXEMHFWLQJ LW WR WD[ SHQ-Â alties.
3.
The policy might establish more family-Âfriendly policies to help sustain tra-Â ditional nuclear families. This might include support for family leave and Ă H[LEOH ZRUN VFKHGXOHV ,W FRXOG DOVR LQFOXGH SXEOLF DVVLVWDQFH DQG SXE-Â lic resources for nuclear families that are struggling economically.
4.
The policy might encourage the prioritizing of nuclear families in the for- mation of government policy. This could include raising the idea of “tradi- tional nuclear families“ to a cabinet- or department-Âlevel governmental IRFXV ,W FRXOG DOVR LQFOXGH UHTXLULQJ D ´IDPLO\ LPSDFW VWDWHPHQWÂľ RQ UHOH- vant policy or legislative initiatives so that nuclear families are not under- mined or threatened by the effects of governmental policies.
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The Future of Family
Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural affects could this policy approach have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
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Possibility
C
The Bigger the Better: Support Extended Families
The Basic Idea What if the extended family, with its robust network of connections, is the ideal social unit for our society? What if it’s really best to make sure that we have grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, and cousins close by? What if the tendency to break down families into small “nuclear” units seri- ously weakens our society by under- valuing our extended family relation- ships? This policy approach responds by working to strengthen extended family ties. It aims to make it easier for families to maintain these vital ex- tended family connections. This policy approach recognizes the extensive benefits to society and individuals that come from being able to sustain extended family bonds. Modern life has placed enormous pressures on 14
extended families, dispersing them and making it harder for them to remain connected in meaningful re- lationships. This policy seeks to reverse or lessen those pressures. This policy is motivated by the belief that the extended family is the proper model of what “family” means. The policy would use public resourc- es to help with housing, communi- cation, and transportation costs to keep close bonds within extended families. Public funding for telecom- muting, for example, would make it easier for extended families to stay close together. By providing such support, the policy would lessen the need for individuals to move away from their home communities for job
The Future of Family
opportunities. Furthermore, zoning and design codes could be struc- tured to encourage more multi-gen- erational housing and multi-genera- tional neighborhoods. In communities where urban blight or vacant lots are prevalent, homesteading would be permitted. Tax policies could be struc- tured to encourage people to settle near their extended families, with tax incentives provided to families that stay close together and disincentives for those that move apart. Encouraging and sustaining extend- ed family relationships would have many payoffs, including taking some of the burden off of our public social care efforts, as extended families can often step in to provide much of this support. For example, families could help out with things such as child and elder care, thus lowering the need for paid caregivers. The policy might PDNH WKLV ÀQDQFLDOO\ IHDVLEOH IRU IDP- ilies by creating tax incentives or pro- viding other public support for family caregivers.
Notes
By enabling people to stay closer to their extended family networks, this policy encourages community sta- bility. This community stability would have positive effects not only on indi- vidual well-being, but also communal well-being. Neighborhoods and com- PXQLWLHV ÀOOHG ZLWK VWDEOH H[WHQGHG family connections are likely to have lower crime rates and better health outcomes.
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Possibility
C
The Bigger the Better: Support Extended Families
How It Might Work 1.
The policy might establish tax incentives and other favorable poli-Â cies to encourage employers to adopt telework policies and other extended-Âfamily-Âfriendly policies that enable individuals to live and work near the home communities of their extended families.
2.
7KH SROLF\ PLJKW HVWDEOLVK WD[ LQFHQWLYHV RU RWKHU IRUPV RI SXEOLF VXSSRUW that enables extended families to provide needed care for relatives.
3.
The policy would encourage the establishment of zoning codes and community design plans that would make it possible for extended fam-Â LOLHV WR OLYH FORVHU WRJHWKHU 7KLV ZRXOG PHDQ IRU H[DPSOH VXSSRUWLQJ multi-Âgenerational housing and neighborhoods.
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The Future of Family
Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural impacts affects could this policy approach have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
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Possibility
D
Families are Safe Harbors
The Basic Idea What if the most important thing about families is not who’s in them but the role they play in our lives and in our society? This policy approach holds that the key role of families is to provide a safe harbor or sanctuary for family members. The goal of this policy is to support families regard- less of how those families are com- posed. A safe harbor requires support to be sustained, and so families need VXSSRUW WR IXOÀOO WKLV UROH )DPLOLHV IDFH many challenges, some internal and some external. This policy responds by offering public support to help families serve as a protective space for their members.
policy would consider all families a national priority. This could mean es- tablishing a departmental-Âlevel gov- HUQPHQW RIĂ€FH WR IRFXV RQ WKH VXSSRUW and protection of families. Such a gov- ernmental body might create a family code of rights to monitor and enforce within society. This would spell out the rights of the family in respect to how families are treated by the state. It could offer protection against chal- OHQJHV VXFK DV Ă€QDQFLDO LQVHFXULW\ WKDW assail families. Spelling out family rights would also apply to individuals within families, including protection against harm from other family members, as in the case of domestic violence.
Families provide us with a place where we can feel safe, where we can let our guard down and feel “at home.� Sus- taining and protecting this safe place is of vital public interest. To do this, the
The policy might also protect the idea of the family’s role as a safe harbor by establishing family-Âfriendly labor poli- cies. For example, limiting the number of work hours to allow for more family
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The Future of Family
time. Such formal policies would aim at fostering a culture of valuing families. This policy is based on the idea of valuing all families, but it would offer special support for families that are at risk. This could mean offering public support to counter the effects of poverty, perhaps by providing public subsidies for housing and healthy foods. Families that can meet their basic needs for food and shelter are likely to serve as stable, nurturing envi- ronments. To help stabilize at-Ârisk fam- LOLHV WKH SROLF\ PLJKW RIIHU Ă€QDQFLDO support for child care or transportation to enable parents to work outside the home. Or it might offer a subsidy for a stay-Âat-Âhome parent—recognizing that parenting is a socially valuable “job,â€? one that is worthy of pay.
Notes
This policy approach could also mean providing instructional support to parents regarding financial liter-Â acy, drug-Âprevention , and making better nutritional choices. Providing DGGLWLRQDO VRFLDO VHUYLFHV LQFOXGLQJ SDUHQWLQJ FODVVHV FRQĂ LFW UHVROXWLRQ services, and nutritional help) could also help families get on their feet. The idea behind this approach is to offer material and educational support to families to prevent or remediate prob-Â lems before they become more expen-Â sive to address and thus more socially problematic. Every family experienc-Â es challenges. This policy would put public resources into a support system to help families successfully deal with these challenges.
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Possibility
D
Families are Safe Harbors
How It Might Work 1.
7KH SROLF\ PLJKW HVWDEOLVK D JRYHUQPHQWDO RIĂ€FH DW D FDELQHW RU GHSDUW-Â mental level to focus policy-Âmaking on protecting and promoting the well-Âbeing of families.
2.
The policy might focus on promoting family-Âfriendly policies in the work-Â SODFH VXFK DV HQDEOLQJ Ă H[LEOH ZRUN VFKHGXOHV ZRUNSODFH GD\ FDUH and family-Ârelated leave policies.
3.
The policy might focus on providing resources to help sustain the ZHOO EHLQJ RI IDPLOLHV HVSHFLDOO\ IDPLOLHV WKDW DUH DW ULVN 7KLV FRXOG LQFOXGH FRXQVHOLQJ DQG PHQWDO KHDOWK VXSSRUW QXWULWLRQDO JXLGDQFH DQG resources for maintaining a household.
4.
)RU HFRQRPLFDOO\ VWUDSSHG IDPLOLHV WKH SROLF\ ZRXOG SURYLGH SXEOLF DVVLVWDQFH ZLWK IRRG DQG KRXVLQJ VXEVLGLHV
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The Future of Family
Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural impacts could this policy approach have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
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II. Family and Democracy
What role should families play in a democratic kg[a]lq7 How might families encourage the development g^ Y `]Ydl`q \]eg[jYla[ kg[a]lq7
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Possibility
E The Family as a School for Democracy
The Basic Idea What if the key role for the family in a democratic nation is to prepare chil- dren for active participation in civic life? Families, in their many forms, serve as basic building blocks of society as they prepare children and young adults for participation in society. This policy possibility focuses on support- ing the role that families can play as schools for democracy. It would support possibilities to expand family participation in civic discussions. It would help families model demo- cratic participation for their members and support family mentors and coaches in fostering democratic par- ticipation by family members. It would help bridge the gap between formal civic education that younger family members receive in school and their actual involvement in the communi- ty. The goal of the policy is to place 24
families in a better position to support children and young people as they transition into adult citizens. Families were at one time stronger ve- hicles of participation in our democrat- ic civil life. Entire families and succes- VLYH JHQHUDWLRQV ZRXOG RIWHQ DIÀOLDWH themselves with a fraternal organiza- tion, a trade union, a political party, or a branch of the armed services. This type of participation reinforced dem- ocratic values and civic virtues, as chil- dren and young adults witnessed and absorbed lessons from direct practical experiences. These types of experienc- es are less available in today’s society. This policy recognizes that family par- ticipation in democratic civic life re- quires more explicit support to renew these paths of civic connection.
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This policy is motivated by the belief that democracy in the 21st century needs to re-Âinvolve the family in vigor-Â ous democratic citizenship. No matter how families change over time, we still need to focus on the role they play in preparing active democratic citizens. The policy would support educational programs to promote the civic virtues of democratic participation in K-Â12 and in higher education. Since civic virtues are acquired by practical experience and not by lecture or book learning, this policy approach would focus on edu-Â cational efforts that provide civic par-Â ticipatory experiences. Civic forums, VLPXODWLRQV RU PRGHO SURJUDPV OLNH the model United Nations program) are all ways to enable young people and their families to take part in civic deliberation experiences.
Notes
Under this policy, governance institu- tions and government agencies with FLWL]HQ SDUWLFLSDWRU\ SURJUDPV VXFK DV public hearings) would need to adapt them to enable family or youth partic- ipation. The policy might create par- ticipatory structures for young people so they could take part in democratic deliberations long before they are able to vote. The policy might also provide ÀQDQFLDO RU RWKHU VXSSRUW WR HQDEOH family participation in civic events. This might include providing family leave for participation in deliberative dem- ocratic events. It could also entail pro- viding incentives to reward such par- WLFLSDWLRQ LQFOXGLQJ WD[ EHQHÀWV IRU families that engage in civic activities. These forms of public support would HQFRXUDJH IDPLOLHV WR IXOÀOO WKHLU UROH RI raising active democratic citizens. Interactivity Foundation
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Possibility
E The Family as a School for Democracy
How It Might Work 1.
The policy would support the creation and expansion of civic participa-Â WRU\ HYHQWV IRU \RXWK DQG IDPLOLHV VXFK DV SXEOLF GHOLEHUDWLYH IRUXPV RU community deliberative events.
2.
The policy would support mechanisms to make it easier for families to SDUWLFLSDWH LQ FLYLF OLIH VXFK DV ZRUN OHDYH DV ZLWK MXU\ GXW\ DQG DVVLV-Â tance with child care or transportation.
3.
The policy might require governmental agencies to structure civic partici-Â pation events in ways that are more family friendly.
4.
The policy might establish incentives for family participation in civic life. 7KHVH LQFHQWLYHV FRXOG VLPSO\ LQYROYH VRFLDO UHFRJQLWLRQ VXFK DV FRP- PXQLW\ DZDUGV VLQFH VXFK IRUPV RI SXEOLF DFFODLP FDQ EH SRZHUIXO ZD\V WR UHLQIRUFH FRPPXQLW\ ERQGV 7KHVH LQFHQWLYHV FRXOG DOVR EH ÀQDQFLDO LQ QDWXUH VXFK DV SURYLGLQJ VXSSRUW IRU ORVW ZDJHV DV ZLWK MXU\ GXW\ IRU WUDYHO H[SHQVHV RU IRU FKLOG FDUH WR HQDEOH IDPLO\ SDUWLFLSDWLRQ
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The Future of Family
Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural impacts could this policy approach have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
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Possibility
F
Break Up Aristocracies for a More Equal Democratic Society
The Basic Idea What if families, especially those that have accumulated great wealth and political power, are actually a stum- bling block for a healthy democratic society? Families, in general, might play a role in teaching us how to be good democratic citizens, but what if the growing power of wealthy families undoes the equality that is essential for a democracy? This policy approach aims to counteract the negative effects on society of the concentra- tion of wealth and power in a relative- ly small number of families. This policy possibility is motivated by the concern that some families have accrued so much power that it is no longer possi- ble for us to have a democracy where everyone is equal before the law. If we don’t counteract the growing power of this relatively small group of wealthy families, we risk becoming a society where some people are “more equal than others.� 28
This policy aims to break down the power of accumulated wealth and social status in some families so that all citizens would be treated more equally in our democracy. In our communities, in our states, in our nation, we all know families that enjoy special privileges QRW RSHQ WR RWKHUV 3ROLWLFDO RIÀFH IRU example, is often treated as an inher- ited right, with the sons and daugh- ters of the powerful rising to positions based not on merit, but on name rec- ognition and the advantages of family connections. In contrast, this policy approach is motivated by belief in a meritocracy and the equal status of all families. It seeks to improve social co- hesion and create a more egalitarian VRFLHW\ $ OHYHO SOD\LQJ ÀHOG ZRXOG QRW RQO\ EHQHÀW RXU GHPRFUDF\ EXW DOVR EHQHÀW RXU HFRQRP\ 7KLV SROLF\ ZRXOG work to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens in education, employment, SROLWLFDO RIÀFH HWF
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The policy approach would remove special access to opportunities that might be enjoyed only by members of powerful families. It would support measures against nepotism in employ-Â ment and education opportunities. It might bar the direct succession of SROLWLFDO RIĂ€FH E\ IDPLO\ PHPEHUV ,Q D GHPRFUDF\ JRYHUQPHQWDO RIĂ€FHV should not have the appearance of inherited succession. For any school that receives governmental support or public subsidy, this policy approach would enable educational access based on merit. It would restrict or bar policies that favor access based on family connections. The policy might remove favorable tax policies or even create economic disincentives for private educational organizations if those private schools are functioning to further the inequality of our society.
Notes
The policy would also work to break down the concentration of political and economic power in certain fami-Â lies by establishing tax policies to dimin-Â ish the political power of wealth. For example, it might establish an estate WD[ VXIĂ€FLHQWO\ KLJK HQRXJK WR GLPLQ-Â ish the advantages of inherited wealth versus earned wealth. All the efforts of this policy approach would focus on lessening the negative effects that family dynasties can have on a dem-Â ocratic society.
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Possibility
F
Break Up Aristocracies for a More Equal Democratic Society
How It Might Work 1.
The policy might establish or encourage the development of DQWL QHSRWLVP SROLFLHV LQ HGXFDWLRQ HPSOR\PHQW DQG SROLWLFDO OLIH VR that families cannot accumulate power within organizations. Opportuni-Â ties then would be distributed by merit rather than family connections.
2.
,Q KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ WKLV DSSURDFK FRXOG PHDQ WKDW DQ\ VFKRRO DFFHSW- ing federal aid would disallow admissions policies that favor legacy stu- dents or students who are the direct relatives of donors. There would have WR EH D OHYHO SOD\LQJ ÀHOG IRU DOO VWXGHQWV UHJDUGOHVV RI IDPLO\ FRQQHFWLRQ
3.
,Q JRYHUQPHQW VHUYLFH WKHUH ZRXOG EH VWULFW DQWL QHSRWLVP ODZV SURKLE-Â iting favoritism in governmental hiring or governmental appointment of IDPLO\ PHPEHUV )RU HOHFWHG RIĂ€FHV WKHUH ZRXOG EH D EDQ RQ WKH GLUHFW succession by family members.
4.
The policy might set estate taxes at a high enough level to break up the accumulated power of inherited wealth.
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The Future of Family
Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural impacts could this policy approach have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
Interactivity Foundation
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32
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The Future of Family
Interactivity Foundation
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Possibility
G
The Family is Number One
The Basic Idea This policy holds that the family comes ÀUVW )DPLO\ LV SULPDU\ EHFDXVH LW UH- ÁHFWV RXU NH\ PRUDO WUDGLWLRQV DQG values. The state is secondary. The state should defer to the family as it relates to people’s private lives. This policy approach means the state should adopt a neutral approach toward the family, allowing individuals or groups to structure families and to govern family life as they choose. This approach is shaped by the belief that the family is primarily a cultural and/ or religious reality, largely functioning beyond the scope of the state.
important that people be free from state interference. This policy ap- proach would set a high threshold for any state involvement with the family, perhaps restricted to cases where chil- dren are subject to gross mistreatment or might otherwise become wards of the state. Limiting the power of the state in this way should empower families to deal with the issues they face. Families are more nimble and so can be more responsive than gov- ernmental bureaucracies in dealing with the problems people confront in their everyday lives.
This policy is motivated by a concern to maintain a zone of privacy for family life that is free from state interference. This means that the state would have no explicit policies prohibiting or fa- voring certain kinds of families. It’s
In this policy, the role of family as a source of social and economic support, and as a source of cultur- al heritage, would be strengthened. The role of the state would recede. By taking a neutral approach to the
34
The Future of Family
family, the state would make way for LQGLYLGXDOV WR GHÀQH WKHLU RZQ IDPLOLHV It would also enable other cultural or social agents, such as religious orga- nizations, to play a stronger role in de- ÀQLQJ WKH IDPLO\ 7KLV SROLF\ LV VKDSHG by the belief that the family is primar- ily a matter of cultural or religious sig- QLÀFDQFH VR WKH VWDWH VKRXOG ODUJHO\ defer to these cultural or religious views of the family. When it comes to determining the features of family life and behavior, it is our cultural or reli- gious beliefs, institutions, and traditions that are central. These cultural or re- ligious beliefs should play the primary role, free from state involvement, in determining things such as family for- mation, marriage, parenting, etc.
Notes
This policy approach recognizes that there are multiple belief systems, in- cluding ones that are not explicitly re- ligious, that are central to family life. According to this policy, the state would recognize the role of these mul- tiple beliefs and traditions in regard to governing the family and family life, without necessarily giving preference to one over another. Under this policy, for example, the formation of a family union, or marriage, would fall wholly within the domain of the family’s belief system. The state’s role would simply be to recognize the family union as determined by that belief system.
Interactivity Foundation
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Possibility
G
The Family is Number One
How It Might Work 1.
The policy would set up a zone of freedom or non-Âinterference for indi- viduals. People would largely be free to act within their own cultural or religious traditions to make their own decisions about their families. The government would neutrally provide civil recognition for those cultural or UHOLJLRXV GHFLVLRQV ,W ZRXOG EH XS WR RQH¡V UHOLJLRQ RU FXOWXUDO SUDFWLFH IRU H[DPSOH WR GHWHUPLQH ZKDW FRQVWLWXWHV D PDUULDJH 7KH JRYHUQPHQW would simply provide the formal legal recognition of it.
2.
7KH SROLF\ PLJKW VHW XS VRPH JHQHUDO ERXQGDULHV IRU VWDWH LQWHUYHQWLRQ such as the physical well-Âbeing of children and protection from abuse or gross negligence.
36
The Future of Family
Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural impacts could this policy approach have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
Interactivity Foundation
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Possibility
H Manage the Family for the Greater Good
The Basic Idea What if the family, and the governance of family life, is too important for the good of society to leave it up to individuals? This policy responds by saying it is up to the state, working in the public’s interest, to manage families appropriately for the greater good. Families should serve the greater good of society, and the state has the role of looking out for the greater good. There are several important aspects of this policy approach, relating to consid- erations such as the size of families, child rearing, and social cohesion. By and large, this policy holds that societal needs and values should trump the interests of particular individuals and families. According to this policy, the state should have more to say about the size of families. Having a manageable population size is essential for the stability of a nation. The state should be able to target an optimal size for families in order to deal with existing and future social, economic, or environ- mental problems. This could mean using LQFHQWLYHV RU GLVLQFHQWLYHV VD\ WKURXJK tax policy) to encourage smaller or larger
38
IDPLOLHV GHSHQGLQJ RQ WKH VRFLHWDO QHHGV at the time). The number of children in a family can have such large social reper- cussions that it should be the prerogative of the state to structure policy to encour- age an optimal family size. The state, acting in the public interest, has a responsibility to minimize the soci- etal costs of reproductive choices. This could mean, for example, that access to reproductive technologies could be limited, whether to manage the size of families or to reduce the incidence of births that lead to greater societal costs. For instance, assisted reproductive tech- nologies that routinely implant multiple embryos might lead to an increase in premature births, which, in turn, lead to more developmentally delayed infants requiring greater social expenditures. The exact nature of limiting family size need not be rigid, and might vary, depending upon a family’s capacities to meet its own needs. Some families, due to their private resources, may thus be eligible to have PRUH FKLOGUHQ RU KDYH JUHDWHU DFFHVV WR reproductive technologies) than others, since their choices would not lead to greater societal burdens.
The Future of Family
Child rearing is another aspect of fami- lies that has vast social repercussions. If the children really are “our future,” then we owe it to ourselves as a nation to raise them in the best way possible. Too many parents lack the material, educational, and emotional resources that are neces- sary to successfully raise their children. The state and child care professionals it can employ, could provide support services to parents or direct services to children to help meet their educational, nutritional, health care, and social development needs. This policy builds on a current framework that offers educational services, nutritional ser- YLFHV VXFK DV VFKRRO OXQFK DQG EUHDNIDVW programs), and after-school care. It takes advantage of the state’s superior material resources and access to relevant experts to support the improved development of our nation’s children. The policy could lead to expanding the state’s role in child rearing by lengthening the school day, supporting year-round schooling, and cre- ating public boarding schools. Overall it would aim to professionalize child rearing through public resources.
Notes
This policy is also motivated by a desire to foster greater social cohesion by support- ing the expansion of our sense of “family” responsibility to include the society as a whole. The narrow notion of “family” has negative consequences, creating unnec- essary divisions in our society between who is “in” or “out” of our family. This policy works to overcome those divisions by creating a role for the common or public interest in the management of our families. This could expand our sense of “family” responsibility to be a responsibility to society as a whole—to the point where we all might feel like we are part of one big “family.”
Interactivity Foundation
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Possibility
H Manage the Family for the Greater Good
How It Might Work 1.
The policy might develop social impact reviews for family practices (such DV GHFLVLRQV WR XVH DVVLVWHG UHSURGXFWLYH WHFKQRORJLHV VR WKDW SHRSOH would have a better understanding of the potential social costs of private IDPLO\ GHFLVLRQV 7KLV FRXOG LQFOXGH WKH GHYHORSPHQW RI ÀQDQFLDO DJUHH- ments that the individual would bear the extra costs generated by their private decisions rather than relying on public assistance.
2.
7KH SROLF\ PLJKW GHYHORS SXEOLF ÀQDQFLDO DVVLVWDQFH RU LQFHQWLYHV VXFK DV IDYRUDEOH WD[ SROLFLHV WR HQFRXUDJH IDPLOLHV RI D FHUWDLQ VL]H $W WLPHV WKLV FRXOG PHDQ HQFRXUDJLQJ ODUJHU IDPLOLHV DW RWKHUV VPDOOHU RQHV
3.
The policy might develop an expanding repertoire of professional re-Â sources for parenting and education. This could include expanding the VFKRRO GD\ DQG WKH VFKRRO \HDU PDNLQJ VXUH WKDW FKLOGUHQ KDYH DFFHVV WR DGHTXDWH QXWULWLRQ KHDOWK VHUYLFHV HWF
40
The Future of Family
Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural impacts could this policy approach have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
Interactivity Foundation
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Possibility
I
Focus on the Basic Principles for Each Family Situation
The Basic Idea What if the main public policy FRQFHUQ LV WR ÀJXUH RXW how the gov- ernment should be involved in family matters? Over the years, government has become increasingly involved in family issues. Child care, adoption practices, reproductive rights, elder care, and marriage practices are just a few of the areas where government is increasingly called upon to make de- cisions. This policy possibility responds by focusing on how the government might be involved in such family issues. It embodies a process-oriented ap- proach that focuses on the general goals and values that shape deci- sions about family matters. It holds that governmental involvement in family matters should be minimal and en- courage families to develop solutions that work for them. This approach em- bodies the opposite of a top-down, RQH VL]H ÀWV DOO DSSURDFK 42
You could call this policy a principle-based approach to family matters rather than a rule-based one. A rule-based approach tries to spell out in complex detail what must be done in every situation. In contrast, a principle-based approach focuses on the spirit not the letter of the law. It spells out the general principles that will guide decision making in a way that is adaptable to particular situations. This policy approach aims to empower people to take more responsibility for resolving their own family issues and WR DGDSW VSHFLÀF SROLF\ GHFLVLRQV WR the individualized situations of each family. This possibility supports the notion that families should largely resolve their own matters. Governmental interven- tion in family matters would be limited. When governmental intervention does
The Future of Family
occur, it would be principle-based rather than legalistic or rule-based. A principle-based approach could mean adopting a general principle of “doing what’s best for the child” in the place of detailed rule making regarding children’s issues. The focus of governmental efforts would be on articulating the broad principles gov- erning family issues, not trying to spell out detailed rules to meet every in- stance. This approach would encourage al- ternative methods of dispute resolu- tion to replace courts as the place where family matters are resolved. A rule-based approach tends to foster an attitude of legalism, with a focus on the “letter of the law” and depen- dence on external authority to resolve FRQÁLFWV 7KLV SROLF\·V DSSURDFK UHOLHV more on people developing a sense of the “spirit of the law.” It encourag- es people to develop their own sense of judgment to apply the principles to their own situations.
Notes
As a general proposition, there would be minimal federal or state limitations on family issues with this policy ap- proach. There would be a high hurdle for any type of family issue to become of such importance as to require legis- lation. This would possibly encourage and require citizens to accept respon- sibility for their families.
Interactivity Foundation
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Possibility
I
Focus on the Basic Principles for Each Family Situation
How It Might Work 1.
The policy might set up mechanisms for public deliberations to determine the basic principles that would shape this approach to family matters.
2.
The policy would dedicate public resources to provide mediation and FRQĂ LFW UHVROXWLRQ VHUYLFHV WR KHOS IDPLOLHV UHVROYH WKHLU RZQ LVVXHV
44
The Future of Family
Exploring Possible Consequences 1.
What social and cultural impacts could this policy approach have?
2.
How might it impact individuals in the way they live their lives?
3.
What impact might it have on the role of diverse cultures that make up society?
4.
How might the consequences of this policy approach relate to other public interests or areas of public policy?
Notes
Interactivity Foundation
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Published  Discussion  Books
Let’s Talk Politics: Restoring Civility Through Exploratory Discussion
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The Future of Family
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